Refrigerating apparatus



Patented Oct. 30, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFC REFRIGERATING APPARATUSration of Delaware Application March 7, 1932, Serial No. 597,172

3 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerating apparatus and more particularlyto means for controlling the discharge of air from anair conditioningmeans.

In cooling a room with an air conditioning apparatus, it has been foundadvisable to distribute the air upwardly but at an acute angle to thehorizontal so that it slowiy falls to the floor and to remove the air ata point near the l0 door for the purpose of passing the air again overthe air conditioning means. It is often desired that this discharge ofair from the air conditioning apparatus be directed in a certainhorizontal direction so that it will not directly strike any of theoccupants of the room. Consequently, it is among the objects of myinvention to provide an improved means for directing the air in adesired direction.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a grille having aplurality of vanes therein for directing the air in a generallyhorizontal direction and to provide a. way in which the grille may beplaced in different positions so as to direct the air in differentdirections.

A further object of the invention is to provide a grille of the form ofa regular polygon having a plurality of vanes therein for causing avertical moving column of air to be deflected partiailly to a certainhorizontal direction and to so support the grille that it may be readilyremoved and replaced in a different position so as to direct the flow ofair in another direction.

Further objects and advantages of thepresent invention will be apparentvfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearlyshown.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of an air conditioning cabinetembodying my invention, and

Fig. 2 is a top view of the air conditioning cabinet shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing and more particularly to Fig. 1, there is shownan air conditioning cabinet of a generally rectangular shape havingvertical walls such as a wall 21 mounted upon the angle iron framework22 which rests upon a suitable base 23 provided with' legs 24. Supportedwithin the cabinet 20 there is provided, an air conditioning apparatuscomprising an evaporator 25 for cooling the air. The evaporator 25 has aplurality of serpentine ducts 26 which are provided with a plurality ofcross ns 27 to readily effect the transfer of heat from the air to therefrigerant within the serpentine ducts 26. Liquid refrigerant issupplied to the evaporator 25 through a conduit 28 which connects to anexpansion valve 29, preferably of the automatic type. The automaticexpansion valve 29 controls the owof refrigerant to the evaporator 00 25which is conducted to the evaporator 25 through the conduit 30. In theevaporator 25, the liquid refrigerant vaporizes under reduced pressureand absorbs heat from the air which is circulated over the surfaces ofthe evaporator G5 and this vaporized refrigerant is returned to thecompressor (not shown) through the return conduit 3l. Under ordinaryconditions of atmospheric humidity and under ordinary temperatures ofthe evaporator 25, moisture condenses on the cold surfaces of theevaporator and trickles down into a catch basin 32 which is supportedupon an angle iron sub-framework 33 in the lower portion of the cabinet.The catch basin 32 is provided with a drain 34 which per- 75 mits thecondensed moisture to flow into a removable reservoir 35 located in thebottom of the air conditioning cabinet 20. The reservoir 35 is supportedand may be removed after the manner of a drawer by taking od theremovable front plate 37.

' In order to allow the air to circulate over the cold surfaces of theevaporator 25 there is a large aperture 40 provided in the rear wall ofthe air conditioning cabinet 20. In order to draw the air 35 between thefins of the evaporator and over the surfaces thereof at a rapid rate,there is provided a 4-bladed propeller type fan 41, located in the upperportion of the cabinet, which is driven by an electric motor 42 of asuitable type which is 90 suspended by means of four tension coilsprings 43, each of which have one of their ends connected to a bracket45 which is fastened to one of the upright frame members 21 of the aircon ditioning cabinet. The inner end of the tension coil springs 44 isfastened to a bracket 47 which surrounds the motor 42. The shaft of theelectric motor 42 extends in a vertical direction and has the propellertype fan 41 mountedr at its upper end so that the propeller type fan 4ldraws the 100 air rst through the aperture 40 in the rear of the cabinetand then over the surfaces of the evaporator 25 into the evaporatorchamber 49 Within the cabinet 20. The fan 41 then directs the stream ofair upwardly from the evaporator chamber 49 Within the upper portion ofthe cabinet 20.

According to the present invention there is provided in the top 51 ofthe cabinet 20 an octagonal aperture and an octagonal flange 52 110bordering the edges of this aperture in the top Wall 51 of the cabinet20. An octagonal grille 52, provided with a iiange 54 at its outeredges, is removably seated on the flange 52 in the top 51 of the cabinet20. The grille 53 is provided with a plurality of parallel deectingvanes 55 which cause the vertical stream of air discharged from the fan4l to be deflected at an acute angle in a single horizontal direction.These vanes 55 have their ends fastened in some suitable manner such asby soldering, brazing, or welding to the ange 54. Inasmuch as the grille53 is of a regular octagonal shape, it may be lifted and turned 1/3 of aturn or more and again returned to its place on the flange 52 directlyabove the propeller 41. In this way the discharge of air from the airconditioning cabinet 20 may be directed in almost any desired directionby means of this exceedingly simple method.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosedconstitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims whichfollow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An air conditioner including a cabinet having a horizontal wallprovided with a discharge aperture, air conditioning means Within saidcabinet, power driven air circulating means for drawing air into thecabinet, passing it through the air conditioning means and dischargingit through said aperture and adjustable air directing means comprising ahorizontal grille having a periphery of regular polygonal form andhaving a pluraled to be received by said seat in a plurality ofpositions at acute angles to each other in a horizontal plane lwhile thecabinet and seat remain assembled.

2. An air conditioner including a cabinet having a horizontal top Wallprovided with a discharge aperture, air conditioning means within saidcabinet, power driven air circulating means for drawing air into thecabinet, passing it through the air conditioning means and dischargingit through said aperture and adjustable air directing means comprising ahorizontal grille having a plurality of varies for deecting the airdischarged through said aperture in a direction at an acute angle tovertical and a seat for said grille on said horizontal wall having ashape corresponding to the periphery of the grille, said grille beingadapted to be received by said seat in a plurality of positions at acuteangles to each other in a horizontal plane while the cabinet and seatremain assembled, said grille being retained in its seat bygravity.

3. An air conditioner including a cabinet having a horizontal wallprovided with a discharge aperture, air conditioning means within saidcabinet, power driven air circulating means for drawing air into thecabinet, passing it through the air conditioning means and dischargingit through said aperture and adjustable air directing means comprising ahorizontal grille having a plurality of vanes for deflecting the airdischarged through said aperture in a direction at an acute angle tovertical and a seat for said grille on said horizontal wall having ashape corresponding to the periphery of the grille, said grille beingadapted to be received by said seat in a plurality of positions at acuteangles to each other in a horizontal plane while the cabinet and seatremain assembled and being retained in any of the several positions towhich it may be adjusted.

GEORGE F. HOFFERBERTH.

